During the 1996–97 English football season, Wrexham F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division.

Season summary In the 1996–97 season, Wrexham set off on another amazing run in the FA Cup and beating more top flight opposition. Following wins at Colwyn Bay and Scunthorpe United, they were drawn to play West Ham United at home, the game ending in a 1–1 draw on a snow-covered pitch after a well earned draw. The replay at Upton Park ended in a shock 1–0 win to Wrexham as Kevin Russell scored in the dying minutes to send Wrexham into the fourth round. After also beating Peterborough United and Birmingham City in the following rounds, they played Chesterfield in an all-Division-2 FA Cup quarter final, Wrexham narrowly losing to the Spireites 1–0.

The league campaign began very brightly for Wrexham as they lost only one from their first 17 league matches and were in the play-off places heading to Christmas but then a little decline in form with only seven wins in the second half of the campaign wasn't enough for a play-off position and finished 4 points off the top six.

Final league table

Results Wrexham's score comes first

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League Second Division DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 17 August 1996 MillwallA1–19,371Watkin 24 August 1996 Plymouth ArgyleH4–43,920Phillips (2), Connolly (2) 7 September 1996 Peterborough UnitedH1–13,222Connolly 10 September 1996 Stockport CountyA2–04,244Watkin, Skinner 14 September 1996 Crewe AlexandraA1–34,469Ward 17 September 1996 Bristol RoversH1–02,401Cross 21 September 1996 Preston North EndH1–05,299Phillips 24 September 1996 WalsallA1–02,832Cross 28 September 1996 Notts CountyA0–04,216 8 October 1996 Shrewsbury TownH2–15,031Watkin, Brace 12 October 1996 WatfordA1–18,441Humes 15 October 1996 BlackpoolA3–34,014Brammer, Phillips, Chalk (pen) 19 October 1996 BournemouthH2–03,945Skinner, Connolly 26 October 1996 Wycombe WanderersA0–05,548 29 October 1996 BuryH1–13,895Hughes 2 November 1996 ChesterfieldH3–24,160Connolly, Morris, Owen 9 November 1996 GillinghamA2–15,094Morris, Connolly 23 November 1996 BrentfordA0–24,885 30 November 1996 Wycombe WanderersH1–03,280Skinner 3 December 1996 BurnleyA0–28,587 14 December 1996 York CityA0–12,600 21 December 1996 Bristol CityH2–14,488Watkin (pen), Hughes 26 December 1996 Stockport CountyH2–36,736Watkin, Morris 11 January 1997 Notts CountyH3–33,267Connolly (2), Watkin 18 January 1997 Luton TownA0–05,734 1 February 1997 GillinghamH1–13,193Connolly 8 February 1997 ChesterfieldA0–06,738 11 February 1997 Peterborough UnitedA1–02,975Hughes 22 February 1997 Rotherham UnitedA0–02,539 25 February 1997 BuryA0–03,419 1 March 1997 BurnleyH0–06,947 12 March 1997 Luton TownH2–13,342Bennett (2, 1 pen) 15 March 1997 York CityH0–03,874 18 March 1997 Preston North EndA1–28,271Bennett 22 March 1997 Plymouth ArgyleA1–05,468Humes 25 March 1997 BrentfordH0–24,053 28 March 1997 MillwallH3–34,684Humes, Phillips, Bennett 31 March 1997 Bristol RoversA0–26,225 5 April 1997 WalsallH1–23,266Connolly (pen) 8 April 1997 Rotherham UnitedH1–02,002Connolly 12 April 1997 Shrewsbury TownA1–04,553Bennett 15 April 1997 Bristol CityA1–29,817Morris 19 April 1997 WatfordH3–16,654Connolly (2, 1 pen), Skinner 22 April 1997 Crewe AlexandraH1–14,643McGregor 26 April 1997 BournemouthA1–24,805Connolly 3 May 1997 BlackpoolH2–15,664Watkin, Humes

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR116 November 1996 Colwyn BayA1–14,679HughesR1R26 November 1996 Colwyn BayH2–04,106Hughes (2)R27 December 1996 Scunthorpe UnitedH2–23,780Morris, WatkinR2R17 December 1996 Scunthorpe UnitedA3–2 (a.e.t.)3,976Hughes, Morris, Watkin (pen)R34 January 1997 West Ham UnitedH1–19,747HughesR3R25 January 1997 West Ham UnitedA1–016,763RussellR44 February 1997 Peterborough UnitedA4–28,734Ward, Watkin, Russell (2)R515 February 1997 Birmingham CityA3–121,511Hughes, Humes, ConnollyQF9 March 1997 ChesterfieldA0–18,735

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR1 1st Leg 20 August 1996 Huddersfield TownA0–35,178R1 2nd Leg 3 September 1996 Huddersfield TownH1–2 (lost 1–5 on agg)1,776Skinner

Football League Trophy

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersNR228 January 1997 Crewe AlexandraH0–12,216

Squad

References